Survive the Night
by Hillside Dancing On
Summary: A mysterious expiriment attacks Estelle. Can Ozzy, Pleakley, Jumba, and Stitch take him down before he kills again?
1. Expiriment 188

Disclaimer: This fic was written to make up for my last two Lilo and Stitch failures "On the Road Again" and "Alone." I still think they sucked. What was I thinking? Those have got to be the worst thing I've ever written since my Invader Zim stories.   
  
I don't own Lilo and Stitch or 625. Estelle owns him now and I own Estelle. I also own 188, but that's not such a good thing.   
  
****Chapter 1*********  
  
"Why do you have to be such an idiot?"  
  
"I blame society."  
  
"I was saving that bacon!"  
  
"But I needed it!"  
  
"Can't you be serious for once?"  
  
"But I needed it!"  
  
Estelle stomped out of the house through the dog-door. Ozzy followed her holding a bacon and peanut butter sandwich and watching as she stormed off towards the sea.  
  
"Awww come on, ya know life's better when you love me!" He yelled after her innocently. She stopped, picked up a small rock, and threw it at him.  
  
***  
  
An hour later, she sat on the beach staring out at the sea. Why did Ozzy have to be so immature? He'd never admit anything he did something wrong. He'd just stick in a sarcastic comment and assume that made it OK. He was lucky she loved him under all her anger.  
  
Why couldn't he act like a mate instead of an annoying little brother?  
  
"Hello."  
  
  
  
A deep voice floated the empty lifeguard's standing a few feet away. Estelle leapt up and faced it, shocked.  
  
"Up here."  
  
She followed the sound to the top of the stand. Two violet eyes shone down from above. The speaker jumped down, landing perfectly on his feet. Estelle got a good look at him in the moonlight.  
  
He was an experiment, there was no doubt about it. But then how come she'd never seen him before? She had been the 600th of Jumba's experiments and had met them all at least once.  
  
This creature was about an inch taller then her but just as muscular as Stitch. He had the "bat-koala" look typical of Jumba's experiments, save 625 and a few others. His ears hung back over his head like Estelle's, but they weren't anywhere near as long. They reached his neck. His fur was black, frosted by twilight. He had four arms and long silver claws on his feet and hands. Sharp spikes ran down his head and back. His nose was small, black, and doglike. Sharp spurs were on the back of his feet. His tail hadn't been docked like her's-it was long and tipped with spikes and two frills. Stitch was strong but cute and harmless looking. This creature looked like a fighter.  
  
The experiment stepped forward and bowed low, taking Estelle's paw and kissing it before straightening up.   
  
As he spoke, Estelle saw teeth like daggers.  
  
"Hello. What is your name?'  
  
Estelle's hard was pounding hard and with those ears, she knew he heard it. But she answered him anyway.  
  
"Estelle."  
  
"You are one of Jumba's experiments, correct?"  
  
She nodded. The black creature grinned.  
  
"So am I. A rejection. Experiment 188."  
  
"Experiment 600," Estelle said. She was beginning to feel calmer around him, knowing he was one of her own kind.  
  
"How did you get to earth?" she asked.  
  
"I took a ship. No one was using it," he said. "I escaped early on in life. So, what's happened while I've been gone?"  
  
The two talked long into the night. It turned out that 188 had landed in England and traveled in various ways. Clinging under a truck here, stealing a boat there. He had stowed away on a cruise ship and come to Hawaii. Estelle grew to like him more and more. Far away, a clock struck midnight. Estelle got up and said she had to go. She'd forgotten about her argument with Ozzy.   
  
"Maybe we can meet again?" 188 inquired.  
  
"Definitely. How about the same place tomorrow night?"  
  
  
  
"Wonderful! Good-bye, Estelle."  
  
He bowed again and vanished into the darkness.  
  
  
  
**********  
  
Estelle knew she shouldn't. But she did.  
  
The aqua furred creature slipped out a window in the dead of night and climbed down a tree like a spider. She quietly ran down the road towards the beach. She'd told no one about 188. Not Ozzy, not Aba, not even Jumba.   
  
"I'll tell them soon," she decided.   
  
  
  
Maybe she'd been expecting to see him see him silhouetted against the moon and ocean. But when she got to the beach, 188 was nowhere in sight. She called out his name in alien.   
  
"Hello Estelle," came his deep voice.  
  
A black blur sprang from a huge log of driftwood. Estelle was pinned in a second, 188's four arms holding her like shackles. She was about to scream when he hissed in her ear.  
  
"If you scream, I'll tear out your vocal cords and use them to strangle you."  
  
If she was stronger, she might have been able to throw him off or at least hurt him. But she'd been created for brains and hearing, so she was trapped.   
  
She felt his claws slicing into her, raking across her slowly. Fangs tore chunks from her fur. And so it went on for the rest of the night.  
  
  
  
*********  
  
"Estelle! Estelle!"  
  
Aba, Stitch, and Ozzy walked down the road calling her name. It wasn't unusual for Estelle to go for late night muse-walks. But the window had been open and she hadn't come back in the morning.   
  
  
  
"This is horrible! What if she drives off a cliff to teach us a lesson?" Ozzy cried.  
  
"What did we do?" said Aba.  
  
"Um...well, there was that time you got chocolate on her $400 book."  
  
"That was you," Stitch replied.  
  
"Oh. Hey, what's that down on the beach?" When he realized what it was, nothing could stop him from tearing to her side and holding her close to him.  
  
It was Estelle, lying in a shivering ball. Her dark green fur was caked with blood and sand. They got closer and noticed she was covered in deep gouges. Gouges put there intentionally, laid as if they were art. Ozzy and Stitch could smell a strange creature in the area. One somewhat like them. But it was hard to detect under the smell of blood. Estelle was alive, but had passed out from shock, pain, and blood loss.  
  
"Estelle...I swear I'll kill whoever did this to you."  
  
  
  
to be continued... 


	2. A story, a betrayal, and a plan

Disclaimer: Own Estelle, 188, 147, 24. Everything else Disney. Constant disclaimers make revert back to apelike state.  
  
Notes from the author: Ahoyhoy! Mahalo for reviewing! I have messages to some of you.   
  
First of all, Most exteme princess. In a review of my other fic you made the remark that you've "gotta go with queen of evil on this one Owen is a much better name for 625." Excuse me? I know that the trend here is to name 625 "Owen" and have Owen Wilson voice him. And I agree with it. But since when did this become a competition between us? Fanfiction is about individuality. I chose to name 625 "Ozzy" and have Billy West voice him in my fics. It doesn't matter! Let's face it, he's hard to name! So I'd appreciate it if I can name him what I want without being rated. Problems always come up when one fic is compared to another. I'm looking at you, Neo8!  
  
Next, Kawaii Spinel Queen of Evil. This is why I'm being so careful with voicing my characters. I had Paul Dobson down as 188's voice but after I saw Phone Booth I've been struggling between two-Paul Dobson and Kiefer Sutherland. I still haven't really decided. I choose character voices based on what I hear in my head when they talk. Both of these guys can do the deep, creepy voice 188 has. So to answer your question, I don't know yet. And yes-I'll stop putting down my own fics.   
  
***********************  
  
  
  
This was it. He had it this time!  
  
  
  
Jumba Jookiba grabbed two vials bubbling over burners. One was filled with clear liquid-DNA. The other was a mysterious black liquid. The doctor poured them into a machine together, closed the lid, and pressed a button. The fluid in the machine was swirled together, then leaked down into a tube. The tube crackled with electricity and made the concoction foam. Masses of bubbles, sparks, and smoke kept Jumba from seeing what happened inside. Then there was a muffled explosion and everything stopped.  
  
  
  
Jumba cautiously stepped up to the tube. He undid several locks and pulled the door open. Inside, a small mound of black fur was stirring.   
  
The creature shakily stood up and sniffed the air. Jumba excitedly looked on. It was always exciting to see how the experiments reacted to life.   
  
While the last 187 experiments were cute with one special power. This new creature was far from cute and looked versatile. It was exactly what Jumba wanted in a fighting machine. Small and sleek with a mouth full of fangs. Long ears for hearing, huge eyes for seeing in the dark, and a nose that hadn't stopped twitching. Every scent was being locked away in its brain. Its feet and four arms were equipped with silver talons and the tail ended in a poisonous spike. Strong muscles tensed beneath ink-black fur. Jumba couldn't have been happier as he gazed on his dream creature.   
  
"Hello my little one. I've been waiting for you for a long time," he told it. The expiriment just stared. It pulled it's ears back and hissed.   
  
  
  
Jumba wanted to test the experiment's true power. He'd need to tag it and then run it through tests. If it obeyed him-most of the experiments didn't-then all the better. As long as it liked to destroy things, Jumba was satisfied. This was Experiment 188.   
  
"That thing looks evil," whispered a voice from the doorway. Several other experiments were peeking in.  
  
"I told you to stop spying on me when I'm working!" Jumba yelled at them.  
  
  
  
The black experiment shot past him and grabbed the nearest onlooker.   
  
"188! Stop!" Jumba snapped. His creation ignored him.  
  
188 brought his claws down on the helpless creature again and again. 187 screamed horribly as his flesh was torn. Jumba, thinking fast, snatched a small black gun from the drawer and fired.   
  
187 had given himself up for lost. Suddenly he was saved. 188 flopped onto his side with his eyes closed in sleep. A white dart stuck out of his back. But his claws still twitched, looking for blood to coat themselves in.   
  
**********************  
  
188 followed his creator into the lab like a faithful dog. It had been two years since his birth. A special collar allowed Jumba to shock him. Although he was completley at his creator's mercy, 188 burned with hate he couldn't unleash. He hated being helpless. Trying to take off the collar would result in a shock, but he still ripped at it once in a while. And the other experiments didn't help. Even now, he was being heckled.  
  
147 and 24 were best friends. 24 was small and thin with lavender fur and light blue antenna. She was shy and nervous. 147 looked like a mouse deer. Her fur was pure white and her eyes were dark brown. Her front paws were clawed but her back legs had golden hooves. Two small horns protruded from her head, golden like her hooves. Her personality was the exact opposite of 24's.  
  
  
  
"Watch this," she told her friend. Then she jeered at 188. "Hey Puppy! When's Jumba gonna teach you to play fetch?"  
  
  
  
188 tried to contain his rage. He had to ignore her. Words couldn't hurt him, but a shock would. However, 147 wasn't going to let him go that easy.  
  
"Please don't make him angry, 147. You know he'll-" 24 began pleading.  
  
"Did you here what I said? Fetch!"  
  
She tossed a pen at him and that did it. 188 charged at her, determined to rip out her insides and drench his fur in her blood. But before he could get more than five steps-  
  
*click, zap!*  
  
  
  
The press of a button sent a powerful shock through 188's body. He howled in pain and dropped to his knees, clawing at the collar. It only made the charge go higher. Then it suddenly stopped, leaving him panting for breath.   
  
"147, what have I told you about teasing 188?"  
  
"To do it as often as possible?" the experiment replied sheepishly.  
  
"One of these times I won't subdue him!" Jumba threatened.   
  
188 bared his teeth at 147 was led into the lab for more testing. When they were out of earshot 147 shook her head.  
  
"Freak. If that thing got loose for five minutes we'd all be murdered in our beds." After a minute, her face lit up. 24 knew that look-she was thinking of something evil. "How about we pay him a visit tonight?"  
  
  
  
****************************  
  
That night, the two snuck into the back room. They'd needed to break into a few rooms to get what they needed. Luckily, 24 had the power to unlock anything. But if it weren't for peer pressure, she would never have done something like what they were about to do.   
  
The wall was lined with big cages of reinforced glass. Most of the experiments were allowed free run of the lab, but not the ones in this room. The cages would someday hold 221 and even later on, 626. 147 and 24 stopped near the biggest. Inside, they could make out a ball of black fur.  
  
147 snickered. She held out a small remote control stolen from Jumba. It had a single silver button on it.  
  
"147, I'm begging you. Let's go back now!" 24 begged. The mouse deer-like experiment turned to her friend.  
  
"You can go if you want. But I'm staying." She looked at the sleeping form of 188 and pressed the button.  
  
*click, zap, howl*. 188 shot up, his eyes wide and wondering what in the name of god was happening. *click, zap!* His eyes turned to the two experiments 147 grinned and waved at him. *click, zap!*  
  
188 ran around the cage, dragging his head on the floor in a mad attempt to stop the pain. A stream of alien obscenities poured from his mouth. *click, zap!* He threw himself against the wall, trying to get at 147. She stopped for a minute to laugh.   
  
"Meega na la quisda..." 188 hissed at them through tortured panting. The worst of alien curses didn't half express his fury.  
  
"Oh yeah? Well, guess what rhymes with that..."  
  
*click, zap!!*   
  
She only stopped pressing the button when he collapsed. If she killed Jumba's prized experiment, she knew the scientist would put a similar collar on her-and leave something heavy sitting on the silver button.   
  
But 24 had a different reason for leaving.   
  
**************************   
  
  
  
  
  
It was pity.  
  
  
  
A few nights after the shocking incident, 24 snuck into the back rooms of Jumba's lab again. It was twice as eerie as the other night. Probably because she was alone. 24 slowly crept up to the back cage and knocked on the glass. Two violet eyes shot open and teeth snapped.  
  
She jumped back in horror. 188's vicious expression faded.   
  
"I'm sorry." His voice was deep and rich. It somehow soothed 24's fears. "You are Experiment 24, right? I've seen you before."   
  
24 nodded. "Yes, and I'm sorry about 147. I never should have let her talk me into that."  
  
188 smiled forgivingly. "I probably shouldn't have attacked her. At least you don't taunt me." He sighed and ran a silver-taloned paw along the glass wall. "You're lucky, 24, to be able to go where you like."  
  
~He doesn't seem violent. Why is he locked up like this? He only acts like that when someone provokes him.~ 24 thought.   
  
"I wish I could let you out," she whispered. But 188 apparently heard her.   
  
"I couldn't ask you to do that for me."   
  
24 fought with her conscience. One part of her screamed that 188 was dangerous, to keep him inside as she valued her life. The other half saw the trapped look in his eyes, full of despair.   
  
"I'll do it!"   
  
She placed her front paw on the locked door. There was a barely audible hum and it swung open. 188 ran out. He grabbed 24's paw, his face shining like a child who'd just found out school was closed.  
  
"Thank you, 24. Thank you for freeing me."  
  
  
  
24 smiled at him. "Where will you go now?"   
  
She never heard his answer. At that moment, there was a sharp pain in her back and ice seemed to flow through her veins. Her eyes widened, her paw slipped from 188's, and she fell to the ground. She looked into his eyes and in her dying moments, wondered what had possessed her to free him. She never moved again.  
  
188 casually wiped the blood from his tail. As they were talking, he'd slipped it behind 24 and jammed the sharp tip into her vein-injecting her with deadly venom. He picked up her still-warm paw and placed it on his collar. There was the hum again and the last thing keeping him from freedom also fell. 188 vanished through a vent in the upper wall without another word.  
  
*****************************  
  
"And that is story," Jumba finished telling Stitch, Pleakly, and Ozzy (the aliens had gathered hear the details, Everyone else was at home with their doors locked.) "Most likely, 188 has been wandering the galaxy for past fourty years.* Now he's come to earth looking for fresh victims. He'll kill anyone he can, maybe torture them like 600."  
  
"So why are we sitting here?" Ozzy almost yelled "That thing could be walking up the street right now!" He jumped up and mimed walking with two fingers.  
  
"Exactly. Which is vhy I'm going out to stop him," Jumba replied. He pulled out what looked like a plasma cannon, but smaller. "This is a neuro-cannon. It's like the plasma cannon but attacks the nervous system. Much like the poison in your spines, 626**. Deadlier then the plasma cannon but not so messy."   
  
  
  
"I'll go too," Ozzy said. Stitch raised an eyebrow at him.   
  
"You can't even fight the mustard when it doesn't squirt for you. How can you fight a homicidal experiment bent on slaughtering us all?"  
  
Ozzy shrugged. "I want to get him back for what he did to Estelle."  
  
Jumba handed two neuro-cannons to the experiments. "Anyvone else?"  
  
Everyone shook their heads. Ozzy thought for a second before pointing to Pleakly.  
  
"Hey, why don't you come? Maybe shooting 188'll turn you back into a man." Since Estelle was recovering at the library where she lived, Stitch smacked Ozzy in her place. But to their surprise, Pleakly nodded. "I'll go."  
  
  
  
Jumba handed the skinny alien the last neuro-cannon. Then he took out a small device with an antennae poking out, A small knob, a small screen, and a larger screen. He turned the knob, pressed a button, and studied the small screen which was now flashing the words "188" in green letters.  
  
"What is it?" Stitch asked.  
  
  
  
"Radio tracker."  
  
"So you can track yourself a friend?"   
  
  
  
Jumba ignored Ozzy's comment. "To track 188. He has a transmitter implanted in his thigh-so do all my experiments." He turned the knob and the number switched to "625." The tracker started beeping wildly while Ozzy started screaming and running in circles.  
  
"Get it out of me! Get it out of me! I have rights!"  
  
Jumba laughed darkly as he turned the dial back the number "188." He headed outside. Pleakly followed. But Stitch headed upstairs to the dome to say good-bye to Lilo-he knew this could be the last time he saw her. Ozzy headed out to see Kara.  
  
"Kara, if I die, take care of Basha. Tell Estelle I love her and how hard I tried to get back to her. And if she wants to find another mate someday..." Suddenly, his face lit back up. "I want to be stuffed and put in her library as a constant reminder to her!"  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
*No, those aren't typos. That's my pathetic attempt to write Jumba's accent.   
  
**Jumba calls the expiriments by their number-names in this fic. I'm just going by what I saw in Stitch: The movie and because it sounds better to me.  
  
Does anyone know how to get rid of those gaping spaces popping up throughout the story and flushing the mood? They don't show up on notepad. 


	3. I brought you into this world

 Disclaimer: I don't own Lilo and Stitch. I own my experiments, but now those are being grabbed away from me by those stupid Disney idiots claiming all the other experiments.

A/n: Still no word on 188's voice. I saw The Vanishing (Kiefer Sutherland's in it, I thought it would help me decide), but that didn't help. All I learned is that chloroform should definitely be outlawed. Aside from murdering frogs/butteflies and kidnapping people with it, it ain't doing anything for this world. 

Enough of my rants about Disney and chemicals. On with the fic.

            *****************

       "I can't BELIEVE you brought your sandwiches on a bounty hunt!" 

        "I can't believe you went out wearing Nani's t-shirt!" Ozzy replied.

       "Can't I wear what I want as I'm disemboweled?" Pleakley argued.

       "If I can eat what I want for my last meal."

       Stitch wheeled around. "Would you two stop talking like 188's already got you?"

        The hunters had already gone a mile into the forest behind the Pelekai house. Jumba walked ahead, one hand on his neuro-cannon while the other read the monitor. Every so often he'd change direction as the signal did. He hadn't said a word. Pleakley, Ozzy, and Stitch followed him with their eyes on the woods.

        "The signal has stopped moving," Jumba finally whispered. "He is either eating, resting, or..." 

        "Or what?" Pleakley asked nervously.

        "Or he's found another victim," Jumba finished. The others were silent. "Come. Vhatever he's doing, we vant to surprise him."

        There was a small clearing just up ahead. The only sound was of the monitor beeping crazily. Then there four shots of light and loud blasts of that shook the forest. With a nod from Jumba, they slowly walked in. The clearing was scorched.

        "Um...am I the only one who notices there's nothing here and we just wasted a load of ammo?" Ozzy asked.

        It was true. There was no sign of the evil experiment. But there was a red, flashing light amid the scorched grass-and around it was blood.

        "We're too late," Pleakley whispered.

        Stitch stepped forward and sniffed at the blood. "This is 188's blood! I could never forget that scent." He put two and two together. "Do you think he knew about the transmitter?"

        Jumba nodded. "He must have. He tore it out of himself just to keep us from finding him." 

       Ozzy threw up his hands-one holding a sandwich, the other holding a gun-and paced in complete frustration. "So now we have an experiment with the heart of Freddy Krueger and Jack the Ripper* combined running around loose on the island. He has venomous spines, big nasty claws, and a grudge against YOU." He pointed at Jumba and continued ranting. "We have no way to track him. What else can go wrong?"

       As soon as he'd finished, a blur of a creature shot out of the bushes and tackled him. The thing grabbed his neck and began slamming him into the ground as he screamed. It called out every alien curse there was as it beat him. If Ozzy hadn't been insane with fear, he'd have realized the voice was female. Instead of shooting her, Jumba merely reached down and picked her up by the scruff of the neck. She flailed her claws and sharp golden hooves.

     The thing was a deer-like creature with a long snout and black nose. Brown eyes spilled tears of rage. Her immaculate white fur was spotted with dirt. 

     "You sick bastard! I'll kill you for what you did to my friend!"

     Ozzy sat up, shocked and rubbing his neck. "I didn't kill anyone, you maniac!"

     "Is true, 147. 188 is the one you're looking for. This is 625. Remember him?"

     147 stopped struggling. She looked at Ozzy. "It's a monster! Kill it! Kill it!" she continued. Ozzy screamed and ran behind a tree while Jumba let 147 down. She turned to Stitch, calming instantly now that she knew Ozzy feared her.

     "You I remember. 626, right?"

     "Stitch now," he told her. The two shook paws. Introductions aside, 147 turned to her creator.

     "So, where's ol' Knife Boy?"

     "We don't know. He tore out the transmitter. That's why I called all of you to come here," Jumba replied.

     Pleakley's mouth dropped open. "You called them all here?"

     For the first time, 147 seemed to notice Pleakley. "Who are you? Doc's boyfriend?"

    "Why does everyone say that?" Pleakly said angrily. 

    "He's a friend, 147," Jumba said firmly. The snickers from 147, Ozzy, and even Stitch convinced him to drop it. "So, which expiriments did you bring? 158?"

    "Kidnapped in the raid on your lab."

     "383?"

     "Ditto."

     "601? 303? 606? 604?"

     "Ran away on his own; went with 601; just disappeared; kidnapped in the raid."

     Jumba smacked his forehead. "Were you able to bring ANY of my experiments to help?"

     "Nope. Most of them were kidnapped or killed in the one raid. A few just left like 625 and 600 did."

     Jumba sighed and handed her a neuro-cannon he'd been saving.

     Stitch sniffed the air. "The blood scent goes this way. Let's go," he reported.

     The group headed off into the forest again, with Ozzy keeping a good distance between him and 147. The fear of her didn't stop him from making sarcastic remarks.

     "Ok, let's do it this way. Doc's the smart guy, Stitch is the tough guy, Pleakley's the sissy guy, and 147's the quiet religous guy who ends up going crazy."**

     The next sound was the sound of four hands smacking him.    

     to be continued... 

     ************************************

    *He's got a point. I got the name 188 while reading about the Ripper killings. They took place in year 1888.

     **Simpsons quote I couldn't resist. Don't ask...

      The random numbers of the expiriments Jumba and 147 mentioned aren't mine either. I'm just reading the poster that came with my DVD..

        To the reviewers

        mosteXtrerameprincess: Apology accepted. ^_^ Yeah, I read Mission to Honolulu. It's really good! I just hope Ruby doesn't strangle 147 for moving in on St-whoops! I almost said too much! Hehe. And I don't know why Pleakley's coming with them. Proving point to Ozzy, maybe? Maybe he's drunk or something. I don't know, I just felt like I haven't put him in my stories enough.  

        Neo8: If Eric really did write that review and you aren't just making things up again, tell him I said thanks. 

       Kawaii Spinel Queen of Evil: "The Cowboy Way?" Never heard of it. But if Kiefer Sutherland's in it, I'll have to see it. *frolics off to watch The Vanishing again*. No you moron! Don't get in the car! Didn't they teach you that in 2nd grade? NO! Don't drink the coffee! GAH! WHY DON'T YOU JUST BREAK HIS LEGS?! IT BOGGLES THE MIND!! *explodes*

      Faith: Well...uh...no. 188 won't turn good. He's already too evil now. The sad part is, he wasn't always this bad. *Goes off to finish writing the prequel to this story* As for Ozzy and Stitch dying? You'll just have to see! 

      Took-Baggins: I thought Pleakley was gay from the 1st movie. This one just confirmed it. BTW-147 was just a jerk back then. She's gotten better.


	4. and I can take you out!

A/n: I've got pics of 24 and 188! This time I didn't draw them. I, to quote Beboots fic The MPD Of Our Favorite Experiment, 'borrowed-without-asking-for-permission-with-little-intention-of-returning' them from a L&S RPG I used to go to. I was planning on keeping it to look at as I write for inspiration (which I did.) 

And I don't really hate Pleakley. Ozzy just makes fun of him because...well, it's so hard not too!

******************************8

I hurt myself today 

To see if I still feel 

I focus on the pain 

The only thing that's real 

The needle tears a hole 

The old familiar sting 

Try to kill it all away 

But I remember everything 

(Nine Inch Nails, Hurt. I felt like I had to use it because a) Johnny Cash died on Friday and b) It describes 188 and to a lesser extent 147.)

     CHAPTER 4

    "Oh no! No haunted evil demon houses!" Pleakley protested.

    "Stop exaggerating," Ozzy said.

    Stitch kept looking at the house. "This is where he went. The blood scent goes right in there."

    The house didn't exactly look haunted. But it was old, dusty, and probably empty. Probably. Everyone knew if 188 went into a confined place like that he must be desperate and in pain. 

    "So what do we do?" 147 asked.

    "We go in, what else?" Ozzy said as if it was obvious. "He practically butchered Estelle alive. I'm not going to let him get away with that! Especially not when we're so close!" 

     "Wow, Ozzy has feelings," Stitch muttered in genuine surprise. They all followed the aquamarine experiment, who was already halfway through the window.

                                      ******************************

      "Everybody split up into pairs. 188 is less likely to attack you together than if you were alone," Jumba explained.

      "Uh, Doc? There's five of us here. Who are you planning to go with-Juju the imaginary shrub?" 

      "I'm going alone."

      Ozzy shrugged and started to walk over to Stitch. He found a certain mouse-deer experiment already standing there. To her surprise, Ozzy started to laugh.

      "What?"

     "147, we all know you like Stitch."

     "No I don't," she snapped, turning crimson under her white fur.

     "Yes, you do! It's as obvious as Pleakley's sexual preference!" He didn't notice the alien's expression-it looked like he was going to take a leaf out of 188's book and butcher Ozzy slowly.

     "I wouldn't insult him. If Jumba's going alone and 147 goes with me do you realize who you're going with?" Stitch said.

     Ozzy thought for a minute, looked at Pleakley, then back at Stitch. "Oh come on! What if 188 attacks us? This guy can't shoot!"

     "I'll shoot you!" 

     Jumba had to restrain Pleakley's gun hand to stop him from blasting Ozzy. "He's not worth it!" 

                              *********************************

      Ozzy and Pleakly grudgingly headed into the basement. Jumba went upstairs. Stitch and 147 took the downstairs. There they listened carefully for any abnormal sound. They knew 188 could be anywhere, doing the same. Stitch worried that 188 would hear the sound of his pounding heart. 

      But his partner looked perfectly calm.

      "147? How do you do it? You don't seem afraid at all," he asked her.

      She sighed sadly. "I hate that thing more than you'll ever know. 24 was my best friend and he murdered her. Maybe it's my fault. I should have known she'd go to him. I tormented him to make him hate us." She stared ahead into space. Something her her voice said she'd been waiting to say this for a long time. "It seems so long ago. I know we all don't age, but I feel old. I've watched experiments being born, made friends with them, and then watched them get taken away. Like you."

      Stitch hung his head. "Why did you bother coming into the cage room to talk to me? I was insane. Not much better than 188."

      "Don't say that! You were born to destroy things-188 destroys lives. I think he only does it because it makes him happy. You'll never be like 188. You were my friend." There was another long pause. "Then the council took you and Jumba away. 600, 625, 613-they all left the lab after that and I lost more of my family."

       "How did you get away the raid?" Stitch asked. He hoped it wouldn't upset her.

       "I didn't. They caught me and threw me in one of the cages. I was able to escape later but I never knew what happened to the other experiments."

        Stitch shook his head. "It sounds like you've had a horrible life." 147 smiled.

        "Before I found you and Jumba again, I would have agreed."

        Then there was an series of small explosions and a scream from upstairs. The two expiriments shot towards the stairs, Pleakley and Ozzy following. One thought occupied all their minds. 

        Jumba!        

                                     ***************************

      "Remember me?"

      Jumba hadn't heard that voice for years, and it had grown deep and wicked-but he remembered it as well as ever. His four eyes scanned the dark room for any sign of his creation.

      "You! Come down here and fight! Don't tell me you're going to hide in the shadows-I created you better than that!"

      188 laughed quietly. "Really, Jumba-do you think I'm that stupid? You where the one who gave me black fur so I could hide like this."

      'Black. I could have gone with blue or gray, but I had to pick black, didn't I?' he thought.  "Why don't you just kill me now instead of taunting me?"

       "Don't worry, I will. But this is more fun."

       "188, why do you hate me so much? I gave you life but when have I ever hurt you?"

       188 growled. "A year of tests you ran on me, all the times you shocked me with that collar, the transmitter, and let's not forget the darts! You made it impossible for me to escape when I needed to the most*. I have plenty of reasons to hate you, Jumba. And you keep giving me more." 

        "You were dangerous! You still are!"

        "Then you should have destroyed me when I was helpless!"

        "I should have!"

        "THEN DO IT NOW!"

         The vicious tone of 188's voice said he was about to attack. Jumba looked wildly around for any sign of him. 

         In the silence, he vaugly heard the sound of liquid dropping, saw the flash of crimson in the air. He understood; the wound on 188's hip was bleeding again. Right above the dropping blood he saw it-the shadowy outline! 

         He fired.

                                        ****************************

         That was what had happened a minute ago. 188 dropped from his perch, letting out an unearthly scream of pain. That was what had brough Stitch, 147, Pleakley, and Ozzy running. Additionol shots from their cannons hit 188. The black lump of bloody fur on the ground rolled his eyes up to look at the gathering group. He had torn out that transmitter to save himself.

         But he'd really dug his own grave. The thought blazed in the back of 188's brain like fire. In a moment, the fire went out. Thus ended the life of Expiriment 188.

        to be continued...     

        *I'll explain that in the prequel.     


	5. Survive the epilouge

Disclaimer: I don't own L&S. Maybe the little Japanese woman in my computer who keeps saying "Yo!" does. I'm serious about that. Anyone know what it is?

A/N: Another short chapter. Sorry! I have limited ideas.

EPILOUGE

        A month had passed since the night 188 died. Estelle's wounds had practically healed-except for a torn nerve in her leg. She still walked with a limp. Knowing 188 was gone forever helped to heal the mental wounds. The key word being "helped." She was still shaken up.

        188's death had taken some strain off 147 too. She had avenged Experiment 24's death once and for all. Now she could concentrate on her new life with Stitch. Lilo had persuaded her sister to take in another alien as a pet. If she wanted to, she could probably convince her to take in a dozen. 

       "What are you doing?" Lilo asked one night when she found them both pouring over books.

       "Looking up a name for 147," Stitch replied.

       "So far we've narrowed it down to..." 147 read off a list. "Gypsy, Zora, or Raven. I like Raven."

      "But ravens are black. You're white!" Lilo pointed out. 147 snorted and playfully tossed her a book.

      "You can stand there finding fault or you can help us!" 

      Stitch thumbed through a leather bound book, not really bothering to hold back a smile. He listened to the two toss names to each other. 147 had changed. She wasn't as rude or snippy as she was when she'd arrived. As Lilo would say, "her badness level has gone down a lot." 147 loved her ohana and Stitch admitted he might be starting to love 147.

      "Danuta," he said out of the blue.

      "Bless you."

      "No, it's a name. See?" He placed the book in front of Lilo and 147 and pointed to one. "It's Polish. It means Little Deer." 

     "I am not a little deer!" 147 said indignantly.

      Lilo and Stitch looked at each other, then back at 147. "Yes you are!" They said in unison, stifling laughter.

      147 looked at the name in the book, thought for a minute, and nodded. "Ok, call me Dana!" 

                                                                    ************************

      Down the road, Estelle was stargazing. Once she would have taken a walk, but her new fear of the night ruled that out. Her crippled paw didn't help matters either. Earth vets were idiots when it came to healing nerves. Sometimes the thought would just sink in, leaving her miserable. Like tonight.

     Lost in thought, even her abnormally powerful hearing couldn't detect the footsteps behind her. Not until she felt arms wrap around her.

     "How long have you been watching me?"

     "Since the dawn of time," Ozzy said. "Still feeling bad about your bum leg?"

     Estelle nodded.

      Ozzy sat down beside her. Estelle was staring off into space. With her limp, slightly twisted leg and sad expression, Ozzy found it painful to remember when she was 600-the experiment he'd come to earth with, the one who would smack him, the one he annoyed back on Turo. She looked worn and tired...a lot like 188 had when he was dying. 

     "If it'll make you feel better, you can punch me in the face."

     "Punching you isn't going to make me happy."

     "It used to! I just don't want to find you hanging yourself from a rafter or something. Give me some sign you're sane!"

     Estelle sighed. "Is this how you pictured married life?" 

     "Yep, pretty much. Except we drove around in a van solving mysteries," Ozzy replied, not able to resist a sarcastic comment.

     Estelle couldn't help smiling. She was starting to remember why she fell in love with Ozzy in the first place. He made her laugh in times like this. She was crippled-but that didn't mean she couldn't live a long, pointless life. 

     188's visit to Kauai had been terrible. But good things had come out of it. 147-now known as Dana-had a home. 24 had been avenged. Countless other lives had been saved by 188's death. After realizing what Ozzy had done, Estelle felt closer than ever to him. Things had changed. But as Nani once said, sometimes things changed for the better.

                              **************************

    One more creature was thinking hard that night. But not on Hawaii. Not even on earth.

    Millions of light years away, on the beaches of a little ocean planet, a strange creature started at the distant blue star known as earth. 

    The creature was tired of the stories. He wanted to find out who his father was. And if there was an answer, he knew he'd find it there.

     THE END

  Well, that proves it! I'm not good at endings or casual conversations. Oh well! I can't say too much, or KS will smack me with the voice of reason! *Hides from reason*.          

  I'll just go over the prequel to this (which will partially explain who that mystery creature at the end is) and then put it up.

Aloha for now! 


End file.
